Page 2 of Beyond the Badge: Crew

“You were running out of there like your ass is on fire. You need to pay attention.”

“I could tell you the same.”

Her dark brown, maybe even black, hair was pulled tight into a neat bun, and she wore just enough makeup to emphasize her natural beauty.

“The glass is reflective. I couldn’t see you coming,” he explained.

“I could tell you the same.”

Holy fuck, was that the only response she knew?

“I accept your apology,” he said dryly.

One of her dark eyebrows lifted. “I didn’t give you one since you ran into me.”

From what he could tell, she wasn’t in her early twenties, but she also wasn’t out of that decade, either. And for him, she was too young whether she was twenty-one or twenty-nine despite being dick-hardening hot.

“Clearly you’re wrong.”

Her lips curved the slightest bit and her eyes held a gleam he didn’t like. “I could tell you the same.”

Holy fuck.“I’ve got a meeting to get to.” He raised his palm as her mouth opened. “Don’t even.” He noticed she wasn’t wearing any ID, a requirement to be in the building. “Are you supposed to be here?”

That gleam turned into a sparkle that hereallydidn’t like. “Are you?”

He set his jaw. “Do you even work for the agency?”

“Do you?”

He was done with this ridiculous conversation that wasn’t even a conversation. He didn’t know what the fuck it was. Annoying, that was what it was. And a waste of his time. “I actually have important business here.”

She shrugged her narrow shoulders. “So do I.”

He doubted that. “Then go do it.”

Her eyebrows shot up and any amusement in her eyes disappeared. “I don’t need your permission.” As she pushed past him and booked it toward the parking lot, she called out over her shoulder, “It was not nice to meet you!”

“I could say the same to you!” he yelled back with a shake of his head.

He needed to get inside so he wasn’t late but, damn, he couldn’t resist watching her go.

He’d hit that.

Ifshe wasn’t so damn young.

And he had a roll of duct tape on hand to seal shut that smart mouth.

He wished good luck to the poor fucker who had to deal with her ass. They’d need it.

Thank fuck it wasn’t him.

* * *

“DoI get to pick Butler’s replacement? Is that why I’m here? To give me some options?”

For fuck’s sake, say yes. Don’t stick me with someone I don’t want and knock my well-oiled team out of whack.

Unfortunately, PA State Police Corporal Ian Butler had to bow out from the task force. His wife was experiencing a difficult pregnancy and was bedridden until she delivered. That meant Butler was needed at home more than ever, both to tend to her, as well as their two other young children. The task force consumed more time than he could currently give.

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